Overview

• Turkish authorities conducted dawn raids on April 26, detaining 47 senior municipal officials, including key figures in Istanbul's administration.
• The arrests are part of a widening corruption and terror investigation targeting Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and his associates, which began with his March 19 detention.
• Imamoglu, a prominent opposition leader and potential 2028 presidential contender, has dismissed the charges as politically motivated efforts to neutralize electoral competition.
• The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) accuses President Erdogan’s government of using the judiciary to undermine opposition leadership, a claim the government denies, asserting judicial independence.
• Protests over Imamoglu's detention, which initially drew hundreds of thousands, continue on a smaller scale, reflecting ongoing public discontent with the crackdown.